A casino, also known as a gambling house, is an establishment for certain types of gambling. It can be combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shops, and cruise ships or stand alone. Gambling in one form or another has been a part of human civilization for millennia, with evidence of betting going back as far as 2300 BC in China. Dice were in use by 500 AD, and playing cards appeared in the 1400s. Today, casinos are everywhere in the world, from small smoky clubs to glamorous mega-resorts.
Aside from the obvious glitz and glamour, casinos offer many other benefits to their patrons and the communities they are located in. Casinos bring in new economic activity by attracting visitors from the surrounding area who spend money on hotel rooms, local restaurants and tourist attractions. This increase in revenue not only helps casino employees but also stimulates local business sales and raises property values.
Casinos are heavily regulated and have sophisticated security systems to protect their patrons and assets. They also employ a variety of technological surveillance measures, including video cameras that monitor game play and players, and electronic monitoring of roulette wheels and card games to discover any statistical deviations. Casino security staffers are well trained to recognize blatant cheating techniques such as palming, marking or switching cards and dice.
The elegant spa town of Baden-Baden first became a playground for European royalty and the aristocracy 150 years ago, drawing wealthy people from across Europe to its luxurious gaming facilities. Nowadays, people travel to casinos from all over the world to try their luck in their quest for wealth and riches. Some of the most famous casinos in the world are in cities such as Monte Carlo, Las Vegas and Macau.